Pottery-former.



T. LUNN.

POTTERY FORMER.

APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 4, 1909.

975, 144. Patented'Nov. 8, 1910.

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UNITE THOMAS LUNN, 0F DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

POTTERY-FORMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS LUNN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pottery-Formers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to earthenware apparatus, and more especially to pottery molds; and the object of the same is to produce a device for shaping and forming reinforced hollow pottery without the use of a so-called mold.

To this end the invention consists in the employment of rotary Scrapers to form the core which shapes the interior of the article, and a rotary sweep shaped to form the exterior thereof; and in details of construction as set forth below and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure l is a side elevation of the device in use, Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

The apparatus forming the subject mattei' of this invention comprises a rigid pivot such as an upright U having grooves Gr, three sweeps or Scrapers S S to which eyes I are removably attached by pins P or screws or the like so that the eyes fit the grooves, and a set of reinforcing wires W passing through holes H in the lower Scrapers and which remain embedded in the finished article so that it shall be strengthened by them.

In carrying out my invention I seat the upright in the ground if out of doors or mount it upon a suitable support, and place around it a pile of sand C which is to form the core, preferably confining the sand within a border B as of bricks. I then bring into play two Scrapers S S whose lower edges are alike and of the configuration which it is desired the interior of the article shall possess, and these are attached by pins P to the lowest and the intermediate eyes I. Then one or both are swung around the upright and the surplus sand removed. I next apply in plastic state the concrete or whatever material is to be employed, spreading it over the core to a thickness a little greater than is desired, commencing between the Scrapers S S and moving them farther and farther apart until they meet at the opposite side of the center.

To reinforce the article being made, wires W are strung through the holes H in the Scrapers and their ends E left free at that' side opposite the point where the plastic is' first applied; and as these holes are midway v free.

brought into play, and this is attached by' of the height of the Scrapers, it will be obvious that they leave the wires embedded within the plastic. Finally the Scrapers are drawn off the free ends of the wires and removed entirely as the pins P permit, and said ends may be twisted together or left The third scraper or sweep S is then pins P to the uppermost eye I. In the illustration herewith given the lower edge of the sweep conforms in configuration with the upper edge of the Scrapers as it should in all cases, but it also conforms with or parallels the lower edge of the Scrapers as it mustwhere the wall of the finished article is to be of uniform thickness throughout. I-Iowever, it is quite ossible to vary the configuration without departing from the spirit of my invention. The sweep is swung around the upright and the surplus plastic removed, and this step gives to the article the exterior configuration desired. An indefinite number of Scrapers and sweeps having variously shaped act-ive edges may be furnished with one upright and lts eyes, as the user desires.

After the shaped article has set, it is removed from the core and another made with' the same sweeps or a new core formed with a different pair of scrapers. It is quite possible that t-he entire device may be mounted on a portable base or even set up within a firing room, and after shaping the plastic it can be fired if preferred. The materials of parts are not essential, and it has been my custom to make them mostly of wood. The hole left in the finished article by the upright may be plugged or closed with plastic, or if such article is to be a vase or urn the hole will be useful for receiving a pin at the upper end of the upright or support or a bolt or screw passing through the hole into the support.

What is claimed as new is- 1. A pottery former comprising a rigid upright aro-und which the material of the core is adapted to be piled, a scraper removably hinged to said upright and with its lower edge having the configuration it is desired to give the core and hence one side of the finished article, the scraper having holes through it for the purpose set forth, and a sweep removably hinged to said upright at a higher point and with its lower edge having the configuration it is desired to give the other side of the finished article.

2. A pottery former comprising an upright having three grooves, two like Scrapers having eyes separately and removably hinged in the two lowermost grooves so that the Scrapers shall swing around the upright in the same plane, the scraper-s having transverse registering holes for the purpose set forth, and a sweep having an eye hinged in the uppermost groove, the lower edges of the Scrapers yandsweep having the desired configuration.

3. A pottery former comprising an upright, eyes encircling it, two like Scrapers detachably connected with two of said eyes and adapted to swing in the same plane, the Scrapers having transverse registering holes for the purpose set forth, and a sweep connected with another of said eyes and adapted to swing in a plane above the Scrapers.

In testimony whereof I sign my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this the first day of November, 1909.

THOMAS LUNNd 

